Washing Fresh Eggs – Tips For Cleaning Chicken Eggs

By: Mrs. Mathis

Image by Jake Wasdin I confess that when I was growing up on a farm we rarely concerned ourselves about cleaning chicken eggs. Sure, we would wash fresh eggs that had anything stuck to them, but that was an unusual occurrence. However, with increasing concerns over salmonella and other egg borne viruses, cleaning fresh eggs before using them just makes sense. So read on for some good methods for washing fresh eggs to make them safer for both you and your family.

Cleaning Fresh Eggs That Have Something Stuck To Them

Even on the farm we knew that cleaning chicken eggs to remove any traces of dirt or fecal matter was important. You can do this today by wiping the egg well with fine sandpaper. Just be careful not to rub too hard so you don’t accidentally drive the matter deeper into the shell. If you want to be extra careful because someone in you family has a compromised immune system, you can also dip the wiped egg in the homemade solution I describe below.

Washing Fresh Eggs

You can also wash fresh eggs in good, hot water. It is important that the water be the hottest you have from your tap so that the egg will not contract and draw more germs into the shell. You can use a mild, unscented clear dish washing liquid in the water if you wish.

If you are washing chicken eggs for use later, be sure to dry them well before you store them.

Homemade Solution For Washing Chicken Eggs

If you don’t want to wash fresh eggs or if washing chicken eggs in hot water sounds too cumbersome, simply mix 1 teaspoon of bleach with one quart of tap water and store the solution, tightly covered, on your counter. Then you can quickly dip the egg in the solution before you use it.